Not my mama’s Pot Roast April 4, 2008

Savory Pot Roast

-2 Tbs. vegetable oil

-3 1/2-4 lb. beef round or chuck pot roast (I go with whatever I can find a deal on)

-1 can (10 3/4 oz) Cream of Mushroom soup

- 1 pouch dry onion soup mix

-1 c. water

-6 medium potatoes, quartered (about 5 1/2 c.)

-6 carrots, cut into 2″ pieces

-3 cloves garlic, smashed

-1 bay leaf

1. In a dutch oven or stockpot, heat oil. Brown roast on all sides and spoon off excess grease.

2. Stir in mushroom soup, onion soup mix and the water. Reduce heat to low. Cover, cook 2 hours. Add vegetables, garlic and bay leaf. Cover; cook 45 minutes or until roast and vegetables are fork-tender.

3.Remove bay leaf. Serve warm. (Optional: Make a gravy! Stir together 2 Tbs. of all-purpose flour and 1/4 c. water until smooth. Remove roast and vegetables from the pan. Gradually stir flour mixture into the soup mixture. Cook until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly.)

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The way my mom makes it is without gravy, in an almost stew/soup like broth, so I skip the gravy. I made it once, though, and it was pretty tasty. She also adds in 1 yellow onion, cut into wedges. I forgot the onion-oops!  For two people, this makes enough for dinner for 2 nights and lunch 1 day. The day that I brought this to work as lunch, a (19 year old)girl I work with said “You know how to make that?!”…please, people-teach your daughters how to cook. And your sons for that matter.

Surprise-me stir-frying. February 1, 2008

 

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
-2 Tbs. brown sauce
-1/2 c. reduced-sodium beef broth
-2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
-1 Tbs. cornstarch
-1 Tbs. reduced-sodium soy sauce
-2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
-1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
-1/2 lb. boneless beef sirloin well trimmed of all fat (or ask the butcher to do this for you)
-1 Tbs. vegetable oil
-1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 carrot, cut into julienne strips
-1 c. sliced zucchini
-2 c. broccoli florets
-1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
-Hot cooked brown rice

1. Combine brown sauce, beef broth, red wine vinegar, cornstarch, soy sauce, ginger and red pepper flakes; set aside.
2. Slice beef sirloin into 2/5″ strips. Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring frequently, until browned. Drain and set beef aside.
3. Heat oil in skillet. Add onion and garlic, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Add carrots and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add remaining vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Return meat to skillet and allow to heat through.
4. Push contents of skillet to outer edges of pan. Stir broth mixture well, then pour in center of skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Stir well to coat meat and vegetables evenly. Serve over hot, cooked brown rice.
Makes 4 servings.

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As a substitute for  ”brown sauce”, I used 1 Tbs. Oyster-flavored sauce and 1 Tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce. My carrot was small so I used 2. I had some dried red peppers-I used an entire pepper instead of just half.

OMG delicious…why didn’t I make more? January 31, 2008

Beef and Mushroom Stew
-1/5 tsp. olive oil (divided use)
-1 lb. beef top round, trimmed of all fat and cut into 3/4″ cubes
-1 onion, chopped
-1 leek, chopped (white part only)
-1 clove garlic, minced
-12 oz. mushrooms, sliced (button, small portobello, shiitake or a combination)
-2 stalks celery, chopped
-3 carrots, halved and sliced
-1/2 tsp. pepper
-1/2 tsp. dried thyme
-1/2 tsp. paprika
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1 bay leaf
-1 (14.5 ounce) can reduced sodium beef broth
-1/2 c. red wine
-1/2 c. frozen peas
-1 tablespoon cornstarch
-3/4 cup hot cooked brown rice
-chopped green onions

    Heat 1 tsp. oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and cook, stirring frequently, until browned. Drain and set beef aside.
    Add remaining oil to Dutch oven. Add onion, leek and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender. Add mushrooms and saute, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in celery, carrots, seasonings, broth, wine and browned beef. Heat to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour or until beef is tender. Stir in peas. Increase heat to medium. Dissolve cornstarch in 1 tablespoon cold water; blend cornstarch mixture into stew and cook, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened and bubbly.
    To serve, ladle stew into individual serving bowls. Top each serving with 2 Tbs. hot cooked brown rice then garnish with chopped green onions. Makes 6 servings.*Notes on this recipe: Aha! So there’s where my beef broth went. I accidentally only bought 1 can. I wasn’t very successful on my shopping this week.

I made this in a stock pot. I don’t know what crazy asian midgets they’re serving these 6 servings to, but I barely got 4 out of it (although 3 of those servings WERE to growing boys). Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf when serving, unless you want to play culinary eww-lette.